On November 4, 2008, Barack Hussein Obama became the first African American president of the United States. Everyone agrees this was an historic event; not everyone agrees as to its meaning. On that night and in the days and months that followed, everyone chimed in with an opinion-from seasoned politicians and television news commentators, to co-workers, neighbors, family members, and strangers on the street. Many were astonished at his meteoric rise to success and expressed strong emotional reactions-from joy and hope, to anger and resentment. With his success came many questions: How did he accomplish this? Why does he evoke such strong reactions? Do we now live in a post-racial society? What will this mean for the next generation? This book seeks answers to these questions and examines the psychological impact of Barack Obama as the first African American president of the United States. Contributing authors represent some of the leading scholars in their fields, and they address these questions using psychological theory and research on topics such as racism, prejudice, stereotyping, immigration, and ethnic identity. They also discuss his impact on different populations, including African Americans, immigrants, youth, and the LGBT community. The purpose is to analyze the impact of this historic event on how we see ourselves, how we see each other, and the interactions we have with one another.